Seeing Past The Past
by savethesharks1
Summary: Charlie knew that when she set out she had wanted Monroe dead and that she wanted to be the one to kill him. But when things go south she instead has to depend on him in more ways than one. Wanted posters with her name show up and state dead or alive and Monroe is the only one with the skill set to keep her undetected and safe until he can return her to Miles. Charloe. Mature.
1. Chapter 1

This will be my first Revolution fanfic. I am not going to lie, at first I was a Marlie, but ever since reading some fanfic on Charloe I've really started to feel it more. I think I'll also be doing a Marlie one too though just to get it out of my system ;)  
I do not own anything and just wanted to get my own plot line out there. I'm going to first start with Monroe getting Charlie out of the bar in 2x04. Then I'll be taking my own spin on all of the time that Charlie and Monroe spend together. Let me know what you think I'll be updating as regularly as I can! :)

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**Charlie** knew that everything had basically gone to shit, even though things had still been shit before. The bombs had gone off, even though they had tried so hard to stop it. Her mother was a basket case and probably would be that way for a long while. Miles was too preoccupied with her mother to even notice her anymore. Danny was gone and Charlie was already having enough of a problem trying to swallow that she would never see him again. All of this was suffocating her and she needed out and away from it all.

She'd welcomed her grandfather's hug when they had first arrived, but then he'd realized what state his daughter had been in and that was that. Everyone was more caught up in her mother and she knew she shouldn't be angry over something such as that, but Miles and she had been each other's shadow for so long that she thought he would at least have checked on her every now and again. It hadn't happened. He was starting to be Rachel's shadow and that hurt her deep down. But what had cut her the deepest was when she had told him she was leaving and he didn't even show the slightest bit of concern. Miles had even egged her on to leave.

But everything was how it was going to be and Charlie couldn't change it. So when she left it hadn't taken her long to figure out what to do with herself. She was going to find Monroe and take out all of this pent up anger and frustration out on him. How she was choosing to see it, Monroe was to blame for it all. Charlie knew that it wasn't true, but it's what kept her going and sane when she felt so out of control.

That first night she'd been in New Vegas she had spotted him. But things had gone to hell and she'd missed her chance. Monroe had seemed indifferent to her being there, but Charlie could tell under his cool façade that he was anxious. A little shaken even. _Good, let him be worried. I'm going to slice him from navel to neck for what he did to Danny._

Even though Charlie had lost the trail on Monroe after losing the bounty hunter she'd been sure she would catch up to him again. It was only a matter of time as long as she checked every rat hole in the old republic. The bar she sat in now had proven to be one of those rat holes. Since he hadn't even been heard of on this side of town Charlie had decided to grab a bite of coyote stew and a drink. There was going to be a long walk ahead of her the next day. Now if only the piece of shit beside her would lay the hell off.

"Hey lady. Did you hear me?"

Charlie just looked at him and raised her eyebrows. She wasn't going to even grace his scum ass with an answer, knowing he would just keep talking anyways. So she downed her drink and went to leave.

"Leaving so soon? Have another drink. I'm buying."

Charlie didn't even turn to look back and felt a drop in her stomach. The coyote was acting like it was wanting to come back up again. Her drink hadn't been that stiff so it had to be the stew that was bad. This is what she got for eating in a rat hole.

"Baby, where do you think you're going?"

Charlie turned around and gave the guy a good look. Then she turned and realized that the rest of the bar had started to sway and a whole group of men were getting closer to her, blocking her in.

_Fuck. _

The same word kept pinging around in her fuzzy brain. She felt hands grabbing at her and her hair being yanked. She tried to yell and fight back but her arms wouldn't listen to her commands. Charlie knew what was going to happen to her next, and she refused to give into the fear. They were going to take pretty much everything else away from her, but she wouldn't give them her fear.

Right when Charlie felt hands going to pull her shirt off her face was snapped back. One of the men had punched her square in the jaw. Next was a blow to her stomach by a dirty grimy boot. Her shirt was now gone and her pants were being tugged down. Charlie's mind started screaming and next thing she knew wood was flying in the air around her.

Her head lolled over and she struggled to open her eyes. The front door of the bar had been kicked in and was splintered around the edges. Charlie saw red, blood was spewing everywhere and her mind was too foggy to focus on the person that was carving the other men up around the bar.

Though Charlie was grateful that someone was helping her out when she desperately needed it, she had wanted to be the one to kill all of these assholes.

"Stop." Charlie's voice was so weak she wasn't sure she even heard herself.

A loud thump signaled that the last body had hit the floor and creaking meant footsteps were coming towards her. Charlie felt hands pulling her shirt back onto her body and cursing when her pants were pulled and buttoned back around her waist.

"Dammit Charlotte. This isn't the place you should be throwing a few back in."

The voice sounded so familiar, and far away. Warm arms pulled her up and held her close and for the first time since her grandfather had held her she allowed herself to be comforted. Charlie snuggled her head into the nook of the man's neck and started shaking.

"Charlotte? Charlotte!?"

Whoever he was he sounded so worried. Charlie knew that she knew this man, otherwise he wouldn't know her real name. Then it hit her and her stomach made its way up her throat. She pushed back against his chest and fell to the ground landing on her back hard. The pain was nothing compared to what she was feeling about who had saved her.

"Drugged."

The word had come out of her mouth in a slur and was further complicated by the vomit that followed it. Whenever Charlie had finally finished all of the strength that she has tried to hold on to was gone. Her brain wasn't as foggy anymore but now a splitting headache was replacing the fog. Her last thought was to look up at the man who was now trying to pick her back up. With all of her strength gone she couldn't fight him off of her again and passed out.

**Monroe** looked down at Charlie and kept walking on. She hadn't even stirred in his arms after he had picked her back up again. What the fuck was he thinking? Charlie would probably murder him in his sleep. Ever since he had ditched her in Vegas he had been secretly keeping tabs on her.

Monroe tried to tell himself the reason he was watching out for Charlotte was because he hadn't seen Miles when she had caught up with him. Charlie hadn't given a reason either but had at least given him enough to know that his best friend wasn't dead.

He looked down at her now and couldn't identify the emotions he was feeling. When he had heard the men lock the bar down he had instantly known what was going to happen. The rage had poured out of him whenever he had busted down the door and seen Charlotte lying there getting kicked around with her top ripped off and her pants around her knees. He'd killed every one of the sons a bitches. It wasn't until he had heard a faint whisper that could only have come from Charlie that he had stopped.

And now he was stuck with her. If the drugs used on her were the same that had been used in his old republic then she would be out for at least another day or two. So the best thing to do was bunk down and get a campfire going. Charlie felt way too cold in his arms and he was worried her drop in body temperature would cause her even further harm.

He set about building up a fire in the campsite he had been staying at the night before and laid out his mat. Carefully laying Charlie's body down he checked to see if her breathing was ok. When he was satisfied that her breathing was normal and that she really was knocked out he brushed his finger across her cheek. It was as soft as he thought it would be. And she really did look like an angel with her golden hair flowing around her.

_Stupid. Stop thinking such emotional bullshit._

He kept repeating that sentence in his mind but he couldn't help feeling a longing that he hadn't felt since pre-blackout. And with that realization he knew that he was going to be royally fucked when she woke up and wanted to kill him. But until then he planned on keeping her alive. And he knew that body heat worked better than a campfire. So he bunked down and put his back on her back and covered her with his jacket. His last thoughts before drifting off was how small she felt behind him and how badly he wanted to roll over and pull her towards him to warm her even better.

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So what do you all think? I appreciate any reviews or opinions! Thanks for reading and I look forward to writing more soon!


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't own anything. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy it! :)**

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**Charlie** woke up but when she tried sitting up nothing happened. A scream tore out of her when she thought the drugs were still in her system paralyzing her from fighting back. That was when she realized it wasn't drugs in her system, but muscled arms wrapped around her.

"Charlotte. Calm down, I'm not going to do anything." Monroe jerked himself upright and put as much distance as possible between him and Charlie. She looked at him with madness in her eyes and everything that had happened came flooding back.

Monroe saving her ass from something she didn't want to think about at the moment, and his carrying her away from it all. Charlie sneered at herself in disgust when she remembered leaning her head into his shoulder. And then she vaguely remembered how nice it had felt and sneered even more.

"I guess you think this is the part where I gratefully thank you or something." Charlie said looking everywhere but at Monroe's face. "Yea, Charlotte. Thank me, then we can all get around this burnt out campfire and sing Kumbaya." His eyes were burning holes into her back as she turned around sarcastically laughing at his suggestion. "Whatever that means I'm sure it's nothing close to what I would really like to do to you. How about I thank you by ending your miserable life?" Charlie thought she would be able to get that last part out with more conviction, but it hadn't happened. "Well, that is a mighty fine appreciation gift but I think I'll pass. Now get up your ass is on my mat and we need to get out of here."

Charlie took in her surroundings for the first time since she had woken up with Monroe's arms tangled around her. They were had little tree cover and the skies were getting dark. Monroe had busied himself with his pack and she could feel him glancing at her every now and then. If Danny were here he would be telling them to find shelter, he could always feel Mother Nature shifting.

Without a backwards glance Charlie walked off. She still wanted to make Monroe pay for all the pain he had caused her family, but he had saved her life, and she guessed she could sort of repay that by giving him another day to live. The ground was still swaying a little with each step she took but she wasn't about to make anyone aware of her weakness. The drugs were still working on flushing out of her system. All she needed to do was get to shelter and give herself one more day to get back steady on her feet.

"Where do you think you're going?" Monroe was jogging up behind her and a small part of Charlie was grateful. She wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight and if there were more men out there like there had been in the bar she wouldn't last long. "I'm going to find somewhere to bunk down, this storms going to be bad." "You're lucky to be on your feet so quit acting like you're not about to fall on your ass." Charlie turned to glare at him but something in his eyes caused her to stop whatever smart ass remark she had been about to say.

"What do you want Monroe?" Charlie didn't let her annoyance be hidden. "Well we haven't sang kumbaya yet." He was making it very clear that he was going to be following her and Charlie didn't feel like putting up much of a fight. It was hard enough to focus on her surroundings with her jello legs and pounding head. "Whatever, but just so you know, I tried to clear the debt by walking away and letting you live another day. But you chose to follow me so if I kill you it's your own fault." Monroe gave her a half smile and chose to keep quiet for once. Charlie was thankful because her head was beginning to really interfere with her walking in a straight path.

**Monroe** looked over and noticed that Charlie had started to rub her head more and more, and that her gait was off. He knew that she had to be battling a headache that could only compete with the hangovers him and Miles used to end up with. When he had woken up this morning he had cursed at himself. Sometime in the night he had rolled over and held onto Charlie. He had only meant to keep his back up against her to keep her warm. Charlie had glared at him with the look of a cornered wild beast. She had been so ready to attack, but knew that the odds were not in her favor. Yet somewhere in her eyes he had also seen relief.

He found it funny that she had shown relief. Waking up in such close proximity to him must have been hard knowing that she hadn't used it to her advantage to kill him. So why relief? Unless she was happy that it was him and not the bastards in the bar. At that thought Monroe saw red again. His jaw clenched as he tried to keep his thoughts to himself. Charlie had been hopping towns looking for traces of him in the lowest of places. It was his fault that she had been at that bar. Just like it was his fault for her mother, Danny, her father. All of it was on his hands.

But why did it have to bother him so much? He'd killed long before Charlie and the blackout. Him and Miles had served together and killed together. That was what had made them such a good fit with running the Republic. It had only begun to bother him when Charlie had shown such disgust for him. He had been so far gone from any emotion that involved caring or compassion, understanding even. Yet after he had crossed paths with this blonde, hell on wheels, spitfire it all had started bubbling up again.

Monroe didn't want the emotions back. Because he knew when those emotions came back so did the guilt, and the self-loathing for everything he had been doing. He would have to face it all and he didn't know if he'd make it out from that. All he knew was that Miles was the one constant in his life he had left. And if he even wanted to begin making atonement for his sins he would need his best friend. Sure, the man had tried to off him in his sleep, but Monroe was no saint in comparison.

He looked up from his thoughts at the sound of a twig snapping. Checking the brush and tree line nothing caught his eye. Charlie was panting and sweating trying to keep herself upright. He had to give it to the kid, she had stubbornness that could only match Miles in all the people that he knew. But she also had strength.

_Stop it. Stop with the puppy eye admiration, it'll only get you killed._

Monroe knew that the thought he'd had was right. What the fuck was going on with him. Buckle and lock that shit down and get the damn girl back to Miles. Enough with the touchy feely shit. Charlie wasn't the reason he was feeling everything all of a sudden, it was because of himself. He was getting to be damn weak and this world had no room for the weak. If he wanted his republic back he was going to have to take it back himself.

"Monroe, there's a cabin up ahead with the windows boarded up. We need that cabin." Monroe looked at her and could see that she was done. Damn her, he would get her in the cabin and then wash his hands of it. He had his own life to get back in order. He damn well didn't need to be following this Matheson around like Miles had done.

With his decision finally made he made out to start securing the cabin. No one had been in it for a long time. The dust was enough evidence to prove that. Even on the ground no traces of footprints or forgotten gear. "Charlotte it's clear!" He spoke just loud enough for her to hear but not so that it would carry. When she didn't respond the hairs on the back of his neck prickled. He walked back out the front door of the cabin and saw Charlie slumped against an old barrel passed out again. The drugs had apparently not fully left her system and their trek here hadn't been an easy one.

He decided to lean down and scoop her back up again just to get her inside and then he would leave. She wouldn't have to worry about him watching her back anymore. Plans needed to be made and mercenaries needed to be hired. His army was going to take time to build back up. He decided he would leave her his mat but as soon as he had it rolled out and laid her down on it a large cackle lit up the sky. Lighting had begun to strike everywhere and damn Charlie for being right. There was no way he'd be able to go out in this storm. He would wait till it passed then leave first thing.

With that decided he pulled out the sheet of worn paper from his back pocket, leaving it by the mat he had set Charlie down on. It would be hours before she was awake yet, and at least he had given her the heads up.

**Charlie **woke up screaming. Hands were pulling her shirt up again and she could do nothing to stop it. Then a face had shown up in her dream and held her close. Whispering words she couldn't understand in her ear. She had felt so warm and safe but when she pulled back the face was distorted and looked like a monster. Then her mind cleared and she realized she was in the cabin her and Monroe had scouted out. Yet when she looked around there was no Monroe. And that was when she looked down at the paper and recognized her own name at the top. Along with words like "wanted" and "dead or alive".


	3. Chapter 3

**Well I hope you all like how the story is going so far! I don't own anything! I just love Charlie and Monroe together and since the show is only giving us so much I wanted to do my own story of how they eventually come together! Thanks for reading! :)**

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**Monroe** knew that he had made a mistake the minute he stepped out of the cabin door. But he wouldn't allow himself to be weak anymore. Charlie had always proven herself to be more than capable of watching her own back and anything he would do to hinder that might give her the wrong idea. He thought to himself that it wouldn't be too wrong of an idea, as he had been feeling a pull towards her and it was part of the reason he was leaving. Letting himself be pulled was going to stray him off of his path to getting the Republic back up and going.

With leaves crunching under his feet he wasn't too worried about being caught. No one here knew what Sebastian Monroe looked like. If any nomads came across him the worst they could do was try and rob him of his gear, and that would be their own mistake. Spending too much time thinking of all the mistakes he had ever made would get him nowhere. He'd already left Charlie weeks ago. Nothing he could do now would change that. She would be well on her way home to her favorite Uncle Miles to figure out why she was on a wanted poster.

That damn wanted poster. He'd been searching for hired mercenaries when he'd come across it. The bounty hunter had been trying to lure him into a child's play trap when Monroe had killed him. The paper had slipped out of the pack he'd been searching, then curiosity had gotten the better of him. The rate the air had left his lungs reading it had surprised him. The poster had come from the Georgia Federation and as much time as he'd allowed himself to think about it he could not come up with a reason as to why they would want Charlie.

Monroe decided to move on from that train of thought and to head out of his room to go get some supplies. He'd settled at an inn deep in the Plains Nation. It had suited him well, the inbred bastards never could get any form of a government going so it was easy to hop from town to town without being noticed by any official. This town was no different than the others he'd been staying at since he'd left Charlie. The huddled booths were selling goods that were priced ridiculously high and were mediocre at best. Mold had either covered most of the goods or they were damaged beyond repair. It had taken him three days to find decent food. The run down, shitty inn only had a poor excuse for soup.

Moving from booth to booth he had started to pick up on whispers from the mainly toothless townspeople. Something was happening in the square. Before he would never have given it a second thought. But now, thanks to Charlie, he was constantly on the lookout for any sign of her. Hoping that she had run back to her beloved Uncle Miles had been a long shot, he knew that, but he'd really thought she would have been smart about it. She would need to be with people who could watch her back, that she could trust not to turn on her. That was the main reason Monroe had chosen to leave her, he couldn't depend on himself to be what she would need.

Following the whispers of the booth keepers Monroe made his way towards the square. The crowds were getting thicker and weaving in and out of the dirty, littered street was getting more complicated. There was a large flag pole that was posted in the middle of the square and it was where the masses had begun to circle. Pathetic men and women had begun to holler and chant. The words "bitch" and "whore" being two of the loudest words he could make out. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled again and he knew that this was going to be the complete opposite of how he had wanted this day to go.

The rope on the flag pole started to work its way up to the pulley system at the top. Monroe couldn't get any closer without bringing unwanted attention to himself but he found he wouldn't have to get any closer. Because soon two hands bound together came into view, along with bruised arms, and before he knew it Charlie's whole body followed into his line of vision. Monroe's heart skipped a beat as he looked upon her. Her feet had begun to dangle off of the ground and yet the damn guards kept hoisting her higher and higher, until she was positioned where all the townspeople could see her.

Monroe took a long look at her and let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Her head was hanging and he couldn't see her face. But the rest of her body looked like it had been through the ringer, no doubt her own fault. She would not have gone willingly, and the Plains Nation was not known for its hospitality towards its prisoners. Someone shouted "bitch" in the crown and threw a rotting tomato that landed on her boot. With clenched fists he tried counting to ten. It wasn't working and he would rip out that man's throat whenever he got the chance.

A pot-bellied, sorry excuse of a man came forward and announced for the people to shut up. Monroe could take him out in the blink of an eye. When he spoke it reminded Monroe of a squealing pig.

"I would like to introduce you all to the relation of Miles Matheson! This bitch is going to bring us all the justice we deserve! Still not sure if she is his daughter seeing as how the whore wouldn't fess up, but for one diamond a piece you can all have a crack at breaking her!" And with that the crown went wild. They were out for blood and he knew the only way Charlie was getting out of this was if he was able to get his hands on some diamonds himself.

**Charlie** had lasted just fine on her own after Monroe had left her the bounty poster. She refused to go home and bring the danger back to Miles and the rest of her dysfunctional family. So she had stuck to the back roads and trails, choosing to be a loner until she could figure out what the hell was going on. That had all gone to shit though, whenever some psychotic bounty hunter had blown the building to rubble that she had been staying in. In the aftermath she'd been disoriented and the fucker had chosen to grab her at that opportune moment.

And now here she was. Strung up on this rusted pole for a whole town to leer at. To top it all off she was basically being sold to be tortured for information. It didn't matter though, they could do whatever they wanted to her and she wouldn't give anything away. Charlie had learned loyalty from Miles, and it had been a very important lesson.

She felt the ropes giving way and took a deep breath. They had begun to lower her down and Charlie knew that a dark room was next. Just like the whole ride to this town had been like. They would even find shacks to hole her up in to try and beat information out of her. It wasn't anything she couldn't handle. Every time a fist landed on her side or her hair was yanked back she focused on all the anger she had. Charlie knew that focusing on one thing would make it bearable. The only thing she had to fear now was the town people. They looked blood thirsty and the men were giving her disgusting looks while they licked their lips. The last image she saw was the butt of a gun came down with a loud crack on her skull.

**Charlie **came to and tried to reach up and rub the pain in her head away, and instead found that her hands had been secured behind her back with her body firmly tied to a chair. Her mouth tasted of blood. When she opened her eyes she realized why. Some greasy haired bastard was smiling down at her with his mouth moving.

"What?" Charlie's voice was squeaking. "Who are you to General Matheson? And where is General Monroe?" The man's voice sounded too deep for his build. "I don't know who you're talking about you son of a bitch." She was rewarded with another slap across the cheek. "Pretty soon I won't be using slaps on that pretty face." "Go ahead and make it a party, haven't you heard that's what this is? They're even bringing the petting zoo and I know that's true because there is a pig standing right in front of me."

Charlie tasted even more blood when her head snapped back. He had used a closed fist this time. Fearing what would come next she decided to just keep her mouth shut from then on, not wanting another bar incident.

"Time's up John! You've used your diamond's worth!" The guard at the door was heavily set and if he hadn't been making sure Charlie was staying put and taking her beatings she might have been grateful for him coming in when he did. "So now who are you going to throw at me lard ass?" The guard spit at her before stepping back to let in her next torturer step into her pitiful holding cell. When she looked up from rolling her eyes her breath caught in her throat. Her own personal monster stood staring back at her.

"I think I'd like my privacy now." Monroe looked at the guard with venom. "No way man, Boss says I get to watch the first hit of every paying customer." Charlie looked at Monroe and started pleading with her eyes. He was looking anywhere but at her. "Fine whatever fulfills your sick boy fantasies." And with that Monroe walked over to Charlie and hit her hard enough so that the chair tipped over. She was crazy if she thought the people before this could hurt her. Monroe had caused her more pain in that split second than she had felt since she'd been captured. And the pain wasn't just physical.

Charlie spit the blood out of her mouth and cursed Monroe's name in her head over and over. She would not grace him with a single word. Monroe was leaning over her, apparently to pick her up off of the floor. Why not just kick her while she was down. His hands reached around gently pulling her forward and he bent his head down close to hers. Charlie felt his breath on her ear and despite herself shivered.

"I'm getting you out of here Charlotte. Please forgive me for the pot shot. Do as I say and you'll be safe." Damn Monroe, for Charlie believed every word of it.

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**I appreciate any reviews and all opinions! :) **


	4. Chapter 4

**I hope you all have been enjoying the story so far. I don't own anything. Thanks for reading :)**

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**Charlie** glared at Monroe as she heard the guard shutting the door on his way out. He looked like shit and yet she was still somewhat happy to see his face. The knock she'd taken when he'd backhanded her must be making her a little delusional. Being happy to see Monroe just wasn't a sane thing to do.

"Well glad to know that you aren't wasting any time in offing another Matheson." Charlie spit more blood out from her mouth towards Monroe. "I told you why I'm here, keep your damn voice down or the guard will come back in when he hears you finally giving up information." "So is that why you're here? Information on Miles? Still got your boy crush going strong for him?" Monroe looked vicious again. "Dammit Charlotte, I said to keep your voice down! If you keep this up neither one of us is getting out of here!"

Charlie couldn't believe her ears, she so desperately wanted to believe him. His hands had been gentle and careful when he had pulled up upright on the chair again. Someone who wanted to cause pain and damage wouldn't have been kind when pulling her chair back up. And his whispered promise in her ear said that he was there to help. She just didn't know if she wanted to put any hope in him. Every time she had any hope only bad had come of it. Monroe was searching her face to see if she was going to believe him, and something in his eyes had finally made her mind decide to give it a shot.

"Alright then, what's your big plan?" Charlie had lowered her voice to a whisper so that the guard wouldn't be overhearing their every word. "Usually I'd plan a big exit, to live up to my reputation and all, but this situation calls for something a little cleverer." Charlie had no idea what he meant, she could only watch as he began working on the boarded up window. "I've got to do this fast, so as soon as I cut you out of those ropes I need to get us up into the ceiling." Charlie looked up to see rusted air vents that were large enough for her to fit through, but wasn't sure about Monroe. "Are you going to be able to fit up there with me?" "If I weren't so busy I think I might be offended. I'll get in. But I gotta say, I'm surprised that you're worried about me." "Can it Monroe, I was just asking a question." Monroe let out a soft chuckle and got back to work on the bottom boards of the window.

The soft cling of a nail falling on the ground brought her attention back to him. "They took my knife off of me before coming in. I guess the bastards didn't want you too damaged by these assholes." After that Monroe made his way back to Charlie and began untying her. "You could have done that earlier." "I wanted to protect my own ass until I was sure you weren't going to try and kill me before I could help you out of here." Charlie stood up from the chair rubbing her wrists. She looked up at Monroe and gave him a half smile. "Thanks…."

**Monroe** couldn't believe his eyes. There she stood, smiling at him, thanking him even. He shook his head and set to work on getting the rusty vent open with the nail he'd lodged loose from the board. "I'm going to lift myself up first then you're going to move the chair back to where it was to begin with and I'll pull you up with me." Charlie nodded her head and Monroe jumped up and pulled himself into the vent. He knew he only had maybe a minute or two before the guard came in. The diamonds he had gotten off of the man in line in front of him that he had killed had been enough for an extended visit in Charlie's cell. But that visit was cutting to a close and they would need to be stowed away in the air vents if they wanted out of this alive. He watched as Charlie moved the chair back into the middle of the grimy room and when she reached her hands up to him he took them carefully. Her wrists were raw from her bindings and he didn't want to hurt her any more than she'd already had to endure.

As he lifted her up in the vent with him and settled back. "Now here's the worst part for you. It's cramped in here and I'm going to have to be a human chair." He smiled as he saw the shocked look on her face. "Now Charlotte, I promise it won't be so bad." He smirked at her but then stopped when he heard the guard making a move to enter the room. Niceties aside, he yanked Charlie onto his lap and barely registered her sharp intake of breath. "Hush, they're coming in." He realized he had put a finger up to her lips to silence her and felt how soft they were. Now it was his turn to take a sharp breath.

The guard was opening the door right as Monroe settled the vent cover back in place. Charlie was so stiff straddling his lap, and holding her breath. He took his finger away from her lips and listened for the guard to walk in. Monroe knew that the guard would probably be executed for losing Charlie but it was Charlie's life or his, and Charlie would win that decision every time. "Mother fucking, dammit! Jenson, Daniels! Get in here!" The guard was calling in reinforcements.

Good, let them all get in on it and go on a wild goose chase.

Monroe knew that the whole town would be on lookout for them. That's why hiding exactly where they would never think to look was the best choice. Then when the coast was clear from all of the bumbling idiots they would make their getaway. He looked down and saw two other armed men enter the room.

"Well you done fucked up. Boss isn't going to be happy with this. Looks like they hopped out the window while you were in charge. And to think, she probably would have cracked if a few more men had been given a shot at her." The guard had a smug look on his face. "She wasn't talking no matter what. I told all of you that. She didn't even want to give up General Monroe! That bitch was going to hold out till the end. Now get all the men and let's scout the town and go from there!"

Monroe could not believe his ears. Charlie hadn't given up anything about him? Nothing at all? He looked up from the vent cover and into her eyes. She looked panicked. He held his fingers up to his own lips this time to make sure she didn't say anything until the guards were out of ear range. Then he noticed the panting breaths coming from her. He lifted an eyebrow in question and she shook her head. When he looked back down he saw the guards exiting. "Monroe…" Charlie's voice was so low he could barely hear her. "Monroe, I can't do this. We need to get out of this vent. NOW!" Her voice was gradually rising. He couldn't realize why, they were safe up here, no one would even suspect that they were hiding in the same spot they were supposed to be fleeing from. Then it hit him like a train. Charlie was afraid of small spaces. And it sounded like she was about to have a panic attack.

"Charlotte, look at me! Charlotte!" He was harshly whispering at her as he put his hand on each side of her face and lifted her head up to make eye contact with him. Charlie's eyes had started to get a crazed look in them. "Charlotte, it's going to be fine. Focus on my breathing, I'm right here, just focus. I'm going to put your head against my chest now ok? Just focus on the in and out of my breath." He carefully put his hand on the back of her head and pushed her gently down into his chest. Her legs had tightened around his waist and it was taking a lot not to focus on how close she was to him, or how long it had been since he'd been with a woman. Not even just a woman, but someone who made him actually feel things.

Monroe took slow breaths and stroked Charlie's blonde curls. Her fast rapid breaths were starting to slow down and she was relaxing into his body. Her face snuggled into his t-shirt and her arms snaked around the inside of his jacket around to his back. Now his breath was coming out rapidly. "Umm Charlie." She immediately yanked her arms back out and he regretted saying a damn word. "Sorry, I just, it's just been so long….since I've felt this warm." Her words sent a ripple through him. She leaned back and before he knew what he was doing he grabbed the back of her neck and pushed his lips onto hers.

He hadn't meant for it to be so rough, but at the second his lips touched hers it was like he'd been dying of thirst and he couldn't get enough of her to drink in. She tasted sweet, and yet he could also taste the blood from her split lip. She whimpered and he eased back, thinking he might have hurt her again. Yet as soon as he pulled back she leaned in. It was the most wonderful sensation he had felt in a long time. And when her hips started to work back and forth on top of him it took everything he had to hold onto his sanity.

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	5. Chapter 5

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**Charlie** knew she was losing her mind. Sebastian Monroe was kissing her, and her whole body had lit on fire from it. He felt so good, and right. She knew it wasn't good, not anywhere near right, but she couldn't hold it back. When he had held her close it was the most comfort she had ever been given in her life. Ever since the blackout people were more concerned about themselves. Charlie had always been fine with that, she had made sure she was able to protect and take care of herself. Yet the second Monroe had brought his mouth down on hers she so desperately needed to be wanted, and held.

_This is crazy, I'm making out with Sebastian Monroe, basically dry fucking him in the air shaft._

Charlie felt his tongue slide over hers and the fire in her body started to grow again. She hadn't given another thought to the small space she was confined in. All that mattered was pushing her body closer to Monroe's. And from the feel of it that was what he wanted as well. The feeling of his hands running up and down her back felt better than any others that had. The other guys she had been with had happened out of boredom. Sure, they'd all been fun and had passed the time, but this was something else completely.

Charlie wrapped her arms around Monroe again and felt him jerk. He moved one hand up to her face and after tenderly touching her cheek moved around and grabbed a fistful of her hair, yanking it back very forcefully. Their lips parted violently and Charlie cautiously opened her eyes, only to be greeted with a pissed off glare.

"Just what are you playing at Charlotte?" Charlie closed her eyes again and tried to swallow down the regret and hate she felt for herself at that moment. "Me? You're the one that was pushing yourself onto me." Monroe looked like he couldn't stand to touch her anymore. "The guard is gone, let's get going."

And with that Monroe just about shoved her off of his lap and lowered himself from the vent. When he made to help her down Charlie gave him an icy glare. "No thanks, I can manage." Charlie's feet hit the floor and a pain in her side made her stumble. The cheap shots the men had taken at her when she was tied up were starting to affect her. "Let's go Charlotte. We've got maybe ten minutes to get as far out of town as we can."

**Monroe** had slowed down more than once so that Charlie could keep up. It was irritating him that they were not covering as much ground as he had wanted. Though that was one reason he was annoyed, he couldn't hide that he was also irritated with himself for kissing Charlie. And with how she had reacted. He didn't know what games she was playing at. When she had snaked her arms around him it had taken everything he had not to rip her clothes off then and there. And with that thought he was yanked back into reality.

Charlie wanted him dead. She would do anything she could to make sure that it happened. And he had given her an opening, a weakness. There he went being weak again. That word was making him want to rip himself apart. A twig snapped and he held his hand up to stop Charlie from taking another step. They weren't alone. Even though they'd long navigated their way out of that shit hole of a town, someone had obviously followed.

"I think we should bunk down for the night." Charlie didn't argue and instead threw herself down on the ground taking in huge gulps of air. If he could guess, it would seem that her wounds had been more than she had let on. The sweat pouring off of her face showed that she had been struggling for the duration of their escape, and yet she hadn't peeped out a word of protest.

_Damn stubbornness._

"I'll be back Charlotte. I'm going to get some wood for a fire, stay here." He was rewarded with another icy glare. "Yea, well, ok then." He told her with his back turned. Nothing was going like he'd thought. Monroe had hoped to have been on a completely different path. He had been hoping to already have mercenaries at his command, and some semblance of an army. But instead he was protecting a blonde haired trouble maker with ice blue eyes that made him want to rethink all of his choices in life.

God, how the mighty have fallen. Monroe couldn't stop thinking how much everything had gotten fucked up as he set about finding their tail. The poor guy was going to regret agreeing to his orders to scout them out and recapture them. The idiot hadn't even covered his tracks. Monroe found him scratching directions onto a piece of paper hiding behind a tree trunk. Trying to make it quick, Monroe twisted the man's neck before he knew what had hit him. The clunk on the ground told Monroe that he wouldn't be getting back up.

The walk back to their camp didn't take long. He needed to stop and pick up a few branches to give the appearance he had been out to get fire wood. As much as he knew that Charlie could take care of herself he hadn't wanted to give her more to deal with than she already had on her plate.

A soft moaning alerted him and he dropped the wood to race back into camp. A quick glance showed him that there was no danger. Charlie was curled up by his pack and was asleep. Knowing that it was just her dreaming he let out the breath he had been holding. When he made to turn around Charlie started to whimper and it drew his eyes back to her. Her form on the ground wasn't resting peacefully. She was writhing and jerking. Wet streams were coming out of her eyes and his heart clenched.

He knew how bad nightmares could be. So reaching for her to pull her out of it wasn't surprising. Monroe didn't want to watch her go through her own personal hell in her own head like he'd done on so many nights himself. Shaking her gently he only heard one word, his name. Her voice was so soft, and when her eyes opened they looked at him, begging him. "It hurts Bass." The tears had stopped but he knew that the problem ran as deep as her soul. He ran his hand over her face and pulled her into his lap.

Charlie snuggled closer into him and closed her eyes again. When her breathing evened out Monroe looked down at her. She was so trustful of him, letting herself be held. But he was sure that she hadn't been held in a long time. His Charlotte had always been the one to worry about herself last and everyone else first. And now that Miles was so wrapped up with Rachel he doubted that Charlie had seen any attention from him prior to her coming to search him out. Monroe didn't want to be weak, he hated the thought of it, but he could at least do this for Charlie. After everything he had done to royally fuck up her life, he could allow himself to be weak for her.


End file.
